A Hunter's Fury
by brawlingwolf
Summary: After traveling to the Darklands alone to find Enrique, the Trollhunter Jim finds himself pursued by Gumm-Gumms and the other heinous creatures under Gunmar's command and has no choice but to flee for his life. But when they suddenly stop in fear of something called the "Black Death," he decides he might as well try the route that will hopefully kill him quickly. Four-shot.
1. Chapter 1: The Darklands

Oddly enough, the thing Jim was most thankful for was the fact that his phone doubled as a flashlight. He figured he didn't need to worry about saving the battery to make calls, seeing as he seriously doubted his service covered the Darklands. That in itself was a favor to him. He could only imagine how many missed calls and messages he would have when -if- he made it home. Claire and Toby must have been worried sick, not to mention angry at him for coming here without them.

The Darklands, as the name implied, were indeed dark. Like in Trollmarket, there were stones that produced some light, but not nearly as much as what he was familiar with. So he had his phone in one hand and his sword in the other as he crept along the paths snaking through this unknown realm, the light aimed at his feet to avoid tripping but also keeping unwanted eyes from spotting the beam. He had heard some scrabbling here and there, but hadn't seen any trolls, goblins, or anything else of the sort. For the moment, his goal was finding the Changling Nursery in order to rescue Enrique. Now that NotEnrique had basically joined them and betrayed Gunmar, Jim doubted that that the Gumm-Gumm leader would have any qualms of ridding himself of Enrique if provoked. If Jim was going to bring doom to Gunmar, he needed to make sure Enrique was safe first.

"Shame I can't just ask for directions," he muttered to himself. He snapped his mouth shut and stopped, crouching down a bit as he spotted a few moving lights ahead, likely torches or something similar. They were some ways away, but he didn't want to risk being spotted any more than he already was just by being there. It occurred to him he may very well be the first human to ever set foot in this realm, and he was certainly at a disadvantage in terms of numbers, not to mention he didn't know the terrain like they did- or at all.

He turned his phone off and slipped it into his armor, then replaced his sword over his shoulder and instead took up his daggers in order to make himself more mobile. With one clenched in each hand, he knelt low to the ground and crept forward, barely even breathing as he scanned his surroundings for enemies. Straining his ears, he picked up the sound of troll voices, though they were much raspier and harsher than the trolls he knew back home. His heart ached with loneliness as he thought about his friends. He shook his head and buried the feelings, reminding himself that he was here on a mission and couldn't afford any distractions. Gunmar wanted him dead, and probably had a very slow and painful method in mind if the Trollhunter was captured.

He took a slow, soft breath to steel himself as he came to a slope, ducking behind a few boulders and peering around them toward the source of the activity below. It appeared to be an outpost of some kind, not quite a full camp but still teeming with Gumm-Gumm Warriors and scouts, including a few waka-chakaing goblins and a handful of stalklings flying above as sentries. They had a rock wall of defenses built on their western flank, but beyond that, they didn't appear all that concerned with fortifying the area. Several Gumm-Gumms were sharpening weapons, others were sparring, and still others were eating and drinking. Manners were apparently not all that important, seeing how they shoveled food and gulped down their drinks. The goblins appeared to be in charge of clean up, and they devoured whatever fell to the ground.

Jim had trekked quite a while before reaching this outpost, so he doubted this was a place they were using to prepare for an invasion via Killahead Bridge. That left him wondering what the point of this place was. The number of Gumm-Gumms present told him that they were defending rather than attacking, save maybe a scouting party. What was their purpose?

Luck was not only not on Jim's side but apparently actively working against him, for when he took a slight step, he managed to knock a pebble that went tumbling down the slope to the outpost. A stalkling above immediately caught wind of it and screeched, alerting the present Gumm-Gumms. Jim ducked back behind the boulders, praying no one had spotted him, but he knew better than that. The stalkling that had nearly ended his life alone had proven otherwise. He heard voices shouting in a troll language, what he assumed were demands to know who he was and what he was doing there. The amulet in his armor glowed slightly, and he was both intrigued and horrified as it provided him with translations somewhere in his mind.

"Show yourself!"

"You're either brave or foolish, sneaking around like that!"

"Prepare to die, intruder!"

He cupped his hand over the amulet, blocking its light, but it was too little, too late. A stalkling screeched as it came swooping toward his hiding place, and he heard pounding troll feet stampeding up the slope. Deciding it was best to get a head start rather than be cornered, Jim rolled out from behind the boulders and took off running across the top of the incline as fast as his feet would take him.

"What the?!" he heard flabbergasted calls. "A human?! How did a human get here?"

"The Trollhunter!" Another realized.

"Don't let him escape! Lord Gunmar wants him captured alive!"

"Of course he does," Jim huffed as he ducked under a stalkling's talons. He spun around and threw one of his daggers at it, cutting its wing and sending it spiraling for a brief moment.

That brief moment was all he needed, and he extended one hand to call the dagger back to him as he slipped into a bunch of underbrush and rocks. The Gumm-Gumms were hot on his heels and closing in fast, and he hoped his smaller size would allow him greater maneuverability in these narrow stone passages. However, he didn't account for the goblins that were chasing him as well, and he looked up at the sound of growls and more waka-chakas above him. Claws struck for him, and he dove forward and rolled out of the way as he emerged into a slightly larger chasm that opened to a plateau. In the distance, he could barely make out a cave, and he figured it was better than being out in the open. His lungs were burning and his muscles threatened to cramp up at any moment, but adrenaline overpowered them and kept him going.

"What is he...?" he heard a Gumm-Gumm puzzle as he sprinted toward the cavern, dodging angry goblins. He grunted and stumbled as a stalkling swooped in and managed to cut his arm, and he rolled back to his feet and kept going. As he drew close to his destination, he noticed that his attackers were falling behind. He didn't stop until he had entered the cavern, and he turned a corner and slumped down as he panted and gasped, trying to fill his aching lungs. He could hear his pursuers just outside, but didn't dare peer out to see them for himself.

"...Now what?" one asked, and he heard frustrated growls and stomping feet.

"He's as good as gone," another said. "Lord Gunmar wants him dead one way or another."

"But if he finds out we let him go-"

"Are you volunteering to go in after him?!" another snarling voice interrupted. "With any luck, we'll get his remains later. Not even the Trollhunter can stand up to the Black Death."

No doubt these Gumm-Gumms knew that Jim had been responsible for slaying Bular, and yet they had pursued him relentlessly. So whatever this "Black Death" was, it was apparently much more terrifying to them than he was. He didn't doubt Gunmar would be furious if he learned that the Trollhunter had escaped, and figured the punishments here were rather fierce. So the fact that they would rather face that than this other thing... Jim was both curious and terrified of what it might be.

"Maybe... the enemy of my enemy is my friend?" he muttered as he caught his breath. He decided he would rather take his chances with whatever the Black Death was than go back out and try to fight off a small army. And even if it turned out the other option wasn't friendly, he hoped his death would be a lot faster than it would be at Gunmar's hands.

After a bit of time to rest, Jim heaved himself to his feet and drew his sword from his back. He retrieved his phone and turned on the flashlight, though it barely cut through the blackness of the cavern. Slowly, carefully, he started further in, his steps echoing off the stone.

He hadn't gone far, though it had taken a while at his pace to find the cavern's occupant. Deep in the darkness, he heard a low growling, and the light from his phone reflected off of reptilian green eyes with black slits for pupils that watched him. This certainly wasn't a troll, as far as he could tell. He stopped and took a defensive stance squinting a bit as he tried to discern just what it was looking at him.

"Uh..." he grunted, and the growling stopped. The green eyes' pupils widened as they stared at him, and he heard some sort of shuffling as the eyes moved- or rather, the creature moved. Jim nearly froze as it slowly came closer to him, and as it approached, his phone's light revealed more of what he was facing. It was a creature with black scaly skin, barely visible in the darkness, and around its head were flaps like fins that laid back against the head itself. As it stepped forward, Jim was fairly certain he could hear claws scraping against the stone floor of the cavern. As it came closer still, he about stopped breathing as he got a better look at it. It had large, leathery wings folded around its back, and a tail swung back and forth behind it.

"No way," he breathed. "Are you... a dragon?" The creature's interest piqued at the sound of his voice, and it skittered even closer until it was barely a pace away from him. He backed up on instinct, and the creature let out a soft, rumbling sound almost like a purr. Jim blinked and stared at it, still backing up slowly, and it continued to draw closer until he'd been backed against the wall.

The dragon lowered its head and seemed very interested in Jim's leg. It sniffed at him for a while before looking up at his face, almost as if it were confused. Jim could say the same. This dragon didn't seem hostile toward him, at least not anymore. More, it was curious. He relaxed a bit as he decided it wasn't going to kill him right this moment, and he slung his sword back over his shoulder. This must have appeased it, as it opened its mouth slightly and its tongue lolled out of one side. If he didn't know any better, he would say it was smiling a bit. But as he took a closer look, he noticed something rather odd.

"Huh," he tilted his head curiously. "Toothless? Why would they be so scared when- GAH!" He didn't have time to finish the thought. The dragon lunged at him and knocked him to his back, and he was fairly certain he saw his life flash before his eyes. That is, until he realized it wasn't attacking him or trying to eat him. Rather, it was licking him like an ecstatic dog, just with more slobber. Jim protested vocally once he realized he wasn't dead, and he managed to free himself from the dragon's eager assault.

"What was that about?!" He demanded as he rolled back and got to his feet. "Do I taste-" he jerked as an onslaught of hiccups cut him off, probably brought on from the sudden terror. "Great," he huffed. "Just what I- hic- need." He crossed his arms and eyed his company, and if he didn't know any better, he would say the dragon was laughing at him. "What, you think it's funny- hic- I have the hiccups?" The dragon sat up at full attention, and Jim frowned. "What? Hiccup?" The dragon's scaly flaps twitched and it crept toward him. "You recognize some words, huh?" Jim realized. "Which means... You've known humans before, haven't you?" He paused. "...Toothless?" The dragon rumbled a bit in response. "You definitely know that word. Can I- hic- call you that? Toothless?" He lifted his hand toward the dragon's nose, and the dragon's green gaze fell on him. It was much softer now, almost warm. "Toothless," Jim repeated, and the dragon, Toothless, gently pressed its head into his hand and closed its eyes. Jim smiled and scratched its nose a bit, and Toothless gave him a content rumble. "I wonder why they're so scared of you. You're not a Black Death or anything like that." Toothless opened his eyes again and pushed past Jim's hand, nuzzling him, and the Trollhunter laughed. "All right, big guy. I think we can be friends. Maybe you can even help me." As he scratched Toothless under the chin, he looked over the rest of the dragon. Now that he was in clearer view, Jim saw that he had what appeared to be the remains of a saddle and some sort of mechanism that connected from a pedal of some kind down to his tail, where it looked like he was missing half of it and had a metal skeleton and a few shreds of fabric stuck to it.

"Wow," he marveled as he looked into the dragon's eyes. "You used to have a rider, didn't you? I wonder how long ago that was... or how you even got here." He looked down in thought. "Boy, if I could fly with you... That would make things so much easier. But it looks like you'd need a new tail for that." He pondered it for a moment, and an idea sparked in his head. The base was there, from the looks of it. He just needed a big piece of fabric to stretch over it. He took out one of his daggers and smiled at his new companion.

"You know, you're the first friendly face I've seen in quite a while," he said as he dismissed his armor. Toothless watched curiously as he pulled off his jacket and shuffled over to lay it out over the metal framework attached to his tail. "It's not the best, but hopefully it'll do for now," he went on as he used the other part of the dragon's tail for reference. Toothless was fascinated as he began cutting his jacket up, and he laid the resulting piece over the metal rods and pulled it tight. "I think that would work," he thought aloud. "But... shoot. I need something to keep it attached." He looked up as Toothless circled around, tongue lolling out again. He looked from Jim to his tail and back again, then gave the fabric a very enthusiastic lick that Jim wasn't quite able to avoid.

"Uugh, I don't think that'll ever wash out," he muttered. But as he tried to wipe the slobber off, he realized it wasn't quite what he expected. It was thicker than what he usually took for spit and sticky, almost like glue, and he smiled. "Oh, I get it. So..." he knelt down and began pressing the saturated fabric together around the metal rods, keeping it taught, and he held it for a moment as it dried. Once it had, he stepped back and Toothless lifted his tail to inspect the addition. Jim looked over the rest of the mechanism.

"So... Looks like this pedal is attached and helps control the angle of the fin," he noticed. "Guess we can give it a try. What do you think, Toothless?" Toothless grinned at him and opened his wings as much as the cavern allowed. "I thought so." He scratched the dragon's chin again. "Let's get out of here and find Enrique." He took up the remaining piece of his amulet. "For the doom of Gunmar, Eclipse is mine to command." The incantation summoned his armor and he replaced the dagger at his thigh, and Toothless crept along behind him as he started back toward the passage he had come through.

Jim came to a stop near the cavern's mouth and he strained his ears for any sound of his enemies, but it was quiet outside. He drew his sword and slowly stepped out, and Toothless followed and looked around curiously. No trolls or goblins were anywhere to be seen, and Jim allowed himself to relax now that he had company. Toothless looked at him eagerly and lifted his tail, and Jim chuckled and shook his head.

"Okay, okay. Let's see..." He came to the dragon's side and carefully hoisted himself up into what was left of the saddle, and he could feel Toothless shaking with anticipation. "Please go easy on me," the Trollhunter laughed. "I've never flown a dragon before." He placed his foot on the pedal and gave it a couple of adjustments, watching the fin on Toothless's tail react. "Okay, so that does that..." Toothless spread his wings, and Jim took a deep breath. "So, now, I should...? What do I-"

The rest of his statement was lost in a terrified scream as Toothless took off with a leap into the air and a flap of his wings. As he found himself shooting up into the air, he held onto Toothless's back for dear life and decided it would be best to stop screaming.

"O-Okay, okay," he panted as he relaxed his death grip and Toothless leveled out several hundred feet in the air. The dragon let out another rumbling sound, and Jim was now certain that he was being laughed at. "What? I've never done anything like this!" Toothless looked back at him with his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth, and Jim smiled. "Fine. Looks like as long as I keep your tail steady, you can fly okay. So I'll let you take the lead." Toothless grinned at him. "I'm looking for the Changling Nursery," Jim went on. "There's a bunch of goblins there taking care of some babies. My friend's brother is there. Think you can help me get him back?" Toothless gave him an affirmative noise, as far as he could tell, and Jim scratched the back of his head. "Thanks. This'll be a lot easier with your help."

He looked down with a mix of awe and terror at the Darklands below. So far, they had managed to avoid curious Gumm-Gumm eyes, but as he watched the landscape zip by and felt the wind blast against his face, he wondered if they were going too fast to be noticed. Toothless was also solidly black in color, and no glow from Jim's armor would be visible from below, so they were likely difficult to spot anyway.

Even at their speed and vantage point in the air, it took quite some time before Jim spotted a curious valley that was relatively well lit compared to the rest of the Darklands. There appeared to be some kind of baskets hanging all around the valley, and on closer inspection, he saw goblins skittering about.

"That's gotta be it," he said softly. "Okay, Toothless. Enrique has got to be down there somewhere." He let out a yelp as Toothless suddenly dove down, leaving him flailing a bit as he tried to regain his balance, and he huffed as the dragon suddenly flared his wings and slowed down to hover just above the valley. Unfortunately, his involuntary distress call didn't go unnoticed by the goblins below, and he heard a swell of alarmed waka-chakas followed by shouts from troll guards below.

"Okay, Toothless, steady," Jim mumbled as he laid as flat as possible on his partner's back. Toothless growled and bared his teeth.

"What is the Black Death doing all the way out here?!" a voice demanded. "Get down and force it back! Lord Gunmar will have the heads of anyone who lets it get near the human spawn!"

"That's our cue, buddy," Jim said as he pulled his sword from his back. "Enrique is down there somewhere! Let's get him out of here!"

Toothless screeched and, to Jim's shock, opened his mouth and shot forth a blast of fire that sent a duo of Gumm-Gumms armed with slings and bows flying. Very quickly, the cries of infants joined the shouts from the trolls and goblins, and Jim adjusted his foot to keep Toothless's tail steady while he jumped to the dragon's side and scanned the baskets. He felt bad leaving the other kidnapped children here, but he knew Enrique was in the most danger. After all, the others were serving as familiars to the Changlings in the human world, and he doubted Gunmar would want their cover blown that quickly.

"What in...? Something's on that demon's back!" He heard someone call furiously.

"A human?!" Another demanded. "The Trollhunter! How is that possible?!"

"Okay, Toothless," Jim said quickly as his partner shot a fire blast at a group of goblins hurrying toward them, scattering green goo on impact. "Let's not stay any longer than we have to." Toothless flapped his wings to send them higher and Jim squinted his eyes as he peered through the baskets, and finally, he found a familiar face among them.

"Enrique!" A relieved grin spread across his face. "Toothless, down there!" He pointed at the basket. "That's him!" Toothless gave him an understanding screech and dove down, dodging a rock that flew just above Jim's head. The dragon steadied himself next to the basket and Jim smiled at the baby staring at him with wide eyes.

"It's okay, Enrique," he cooed as he scooped him up. "I'm gonna get you back to Claire. She's worried sick about you, you know." He adjusted a blubbering Enrique in front of him and patted Toothless's back. "Okay, buddy. Let's get out of here!" Toothless gave his wings a great flap and frustrated troll growls and screeches followed them into the air. Jim found himself thanking his lucky stars that they didn't have Stalklings keeping watch, and he figured it was best to get as far away as possible before they could call for reinforcements.

Toothless didn't slow down until they were far away from the Nursery, and Jim cradled Enrique in one arm while he held on with the other.

"Wow... we actually did it." Jim let out a relieved laugh. "Oh, that probably isn't very comfortable," he noticed as Enrique pulled away from his armor. He gave a cautious glance around, then dismissed it, and Enrique looked at him curiously before snuggling in against his chest.

"Wow..." he said softly. "I actually did it. Thanks, Toothless." Toothless gave him a rumbling purr. "Let's get to Killahead Bridge!"


	2. Chapter 2: Trollmarket

"Why won't you OPEN?!"

Claire's frustrated demand of Killahead Bridge echoed through the cavern behind the Hero's Forge where it had been locked away for safe keeping. She whacked the piece of Jim's amulet embedded above the archway, but it didn't respond.

"I swear, when he comes back, I am gonna sock him so hard," she growled as she jumped off the bridge to where Toby was sitting below, poking his head through the Fetch in order to find some clue as to their friend's whereabouts.

"Have faith in Master Jim, Claire," Blinky advised without looking up from one of many books he had brought from his library on the Bridge and the battle that had taken place there. "He wanted to keep you out of harm's way. I would very much like to be there with him, but we must respect his decisions."

"His decisions are stupid," Claire grumbled and kicked Toby lightly, causing him to pull his head out of the Fetch. "Anything?"

"Nope," Toby replied with a yawn. "It's so dark there. And you're sure NotEnrique couldn't show you anything?"

"For the last time, yes, I'm sure," Claire said as she crossed her arms. "Last time he showed me my brother, Enrique was in his basket thing like usual. No sign of Jim or Gunmar."

"Then hopefully that at least means he's safe for now," Toby offered. "And if something happened to Jim, wouldn't the amulet find a new owner or something?"

"Quite right," Blinky agreed. "The amulet would find the next Trollhunter. Or... at least it is supposed to. We've never lost a Trollhunter in the Darklands, never mind that the amulet itself has split into two. While it likely has given Master Jim the power to defy Gunmar, we cannot ignore that the amulet now houses the Triumbic Stones that are tied to Gunmar himself. I can't say I know how that will affect it, nor are we capable of asking the former Trollhunters."

"So, in other words, we have no idea if he's actually still alive," Claire groaned.

Before anyone could say anything else, Killahead Bridge suddenly illuminated, and Claire readied her Shadowstaff while Toby yelped and scrambled to grab his Warhammer. Under the arch, the portal between realms opened, and the two took a defensive step closer together while Blinky hurried over to them.

"Do not fear, my friends!" He said with bravado. "We shall stop them where they-"

Their Troll companion stopped short as a familiar head poked out of the portal, a relieved grin on his face.

"Oh, good, I was hoping you were here!" Jim greeted. "Where's NotEnrique?" His friends stared at him with several degrees of disbelief.

"Uh, he's with Draal looking through Blinky's library," Toby replied.

"So he's here in Trollmarket?" Jim's grin grew. "Good. I wouldn't want to blow his cover. Claire?" Slowly, he came a bit further through the portal, and Claire's eyes widened at the sight of who he held.

"Enrique!" Her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes, and she rushed over to take her brother from Jim and gave him a nearly suffocating hug. Enrique laughed and bounced in her arms as she looked over him. "Oh, Enrique!" She cried. "You're safe... you're okay!" She fell to her knees and hugged him again more gently this time, and Toby came up behind her with a big smile on his face. She looked up at the Trollhunter still standing halfway between Trollmarket and the Darklands. "Jim... Thank you. Thank you so much for bringing him home."

"I promised I would," he said with a shrug.

"You also promised we'd all go to the Darklands together!" Toby complained, and Jim smiled sheepishly.

"I... I didn't want any of you to get hurt." He looked from his best friend up to Blinky, who had a proud and relieved smile on his face.

"Master Jim, you've done it!" He came running over and placed his hands on the Trollhunter's shoulders. "Well done! You've brought Enrique home and returned safely! ...But what of Gunmar?"

"Haven't met him yet," Jim replied. "I wanted to get Enrique home first."

"How did you do it?!" Claire demanded. "And will you please come out of there? You're NOT going back there without us."

"I know, I know," Jim nodded. "Just... take a step back, okay? And don't be scared. I made a friend."

"In the Darklands?" Blinky asked. "Master Jim, I would advise you not to trust anything in that forbidden realm. The Gumm-Gumms and their allies are deceitful, dangerous-"

"The local crowd didn't really like him all that much," Jim interrupted. "Just... don't freak out." He disappeared back through the portal with his friends calling after him, and a moment later, he returned with one hand behind him.

"Come on, buddy, it's okay," he said softly, and following behind him through the portal came a large black creature with bright green eyes. Toby, Claire, and Blinky all stared at the emerging dragon while Enrique squealed with laughter and clapped his hands. The dragon looked over them with an excited gaze, then back to Jim.

"Guys, this is Toothless," the Trollhunter said with a smile as the portal closed behind them. "Toothless, this is Claire, Toby, and Blinky."

"Great Googly!" Blinky blurted. "Master Jim, you are full of surprises! You found and befriended a dragon?!" The Troll approached quickly and began looking over the dragon, who watched him curiously and wiggled back and forth playfully, almost like a cat ready to pounce. Toothless began bounding around the cavern with small growls and rumbles of excitement, and as he came back to the group, he rolled onto his back as he looked at Jim and slobbered.

"He seems like he knows humans," Jim explained as he scratched Toothless's chin. "The Gumm-Gumms called him the 'Black Death,' but he's been nothing but friendly with me." Toothless's tail lashed about and he rolled over quickly and pounced on Jim, earning a grunt as the Trollhunter hit the ground. Toothless let out a rumbling laugh and licked him, earning snickers from the others.

"Okay, okay, get off!" He protested and rolled back to his feet once he was free.

"So he helped you save Enrique?" Claire asked, and Jim nodded. She approached Toothless somewhat slowly and placed her free hand on his nose, and he gave her a rumbling purr. "Thank you." She looked back up at Jim. "Oh, and by the way."

"Ow!" He complained once she'd delivered a hard punch to his arm. "What was that for?" He asked as he rubbed the impacted spot where he didn't doubt he would have a bruise later.

"For leaving us behind to worry about you! Do you realize how scared we were?!"

"I... I know," he looked down as Toothless nudged his hand. "I broke my promise, and I'm sorry. But I couldn't let any of you get hurt. I'm supposed to protect everyone, but people still get hurt because of my mistakes."

"Master Jim..." Blinky placed a hand on Jim's shoulder. "You can regret your past mistakes, or you can learn from them. There is no better teacher than experience. I vowed to train you into the Trollhunter I know you can be, but you have taught me more than I ever thought possible as well." He smiled. "We know the dangers, Master Jim. We Trolls have been fighting this war far longer than you may realize. In a way, we are profoundly selfish, relying on one warrior to keep us safe. We have fighters, of course, but none like the Trollhunter." He paused as Jim looked up at him. "Master Jim, there is one thing that sets you apart from your predecessors more than anything else- not that you are human, but that you rely on your comrades rather than pushing us away. Let us lend you our strength." They both looked down as Toothless rumbled and nuzzled his nose against Jim's side.

"He's right, Jimbo," Toby grinned. "You said it yourself. We're Trollhunters! You may have the fancy armor, but we're all in this together."

"Exactly," Claire agreed with a smirk. "So if you try to sneak off again without us, I'll make sure you get more than a sock to the arm, got it?"

"Got it!" Jim lifted his hands and smiled.

"Excellent!" Blinky exclaimed. "Now, about our new friend here. I believe I have a book somewhere on dragons. Perhaps we may find some information about where he originally came from." Jim nodded and turned to his new companion.

"Hey, buddy, can you give me a boost?" He pointed up at the piece of his amulet embedded in the bridge. Toothless lowered his head and allowed Jim to climb on, then hoisted him up to allow him to grab it. Jim hopped down and gave Toothless another good scratch, then fused the two halves of the amulet back together. With that, the group headed out of the cavern and locked it behind them, then made their way across the stone bridge to the Hero's Forge.

"Maybe Toothless could stay here for now," Jim thought aloud. "Plenty of space, but he should stay pretty undisturbed. At least until I can think of something else."

"Excellent idea, Master Jim," Blinky agreed. "Do not worry. I will make sure our fine friend here is taken care of in your absence."

"Thanks, Blinky." Jim turned to the dragon. "Okay, Toothless? You have to stay here right now, but I'll be back. I promise." Toothless gave him a melancholy rumble, and Jim's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, buddy. But I'll be back soon! And then I'll really fix up your tail and we can go for a flight." Toothless nudged him and he rested his hand on the dragon's nose, then returned his attention to his friends. "Shall we?"

"See you later, Toothless!" Toby waved as they headed for Trollmarket with Toothless staring longingly after them.

The walk to Blinky's library took a lot longer than expected with all the residents celebrating the Trollhunter's return. Jim had given his warm welcome a heartfelt thank you before finally retreating to their destination. Once they entered, Draal and NotEnrique looked up from their searches and both gave Jim an enthusiastic grin in their own way.

"Welcome home, Trollhunter!" Draal greeted as he gave Jim a hearty punch in his good arm, causing him to stumble. Jim smiled regardless and patted his guardian's arm as well.

"Thanks, Draal. It's good to be back."

"Lookie here!" NotEnrique chortled. "You actually did it." He skittered over to Claire and Enrique in her arms. Claire grinned and nodded. "Good to see you, shrimp," he went on. "You better take good care of my sis, you get it?"

"Hey," Claire said as she touched his back with her free hand. "You can still be my brother too!" NotEnrique lifted an eyebrow.

"Don't worry, I won't bother ya," he grumbled. "Can't exactly head home when I look like this." Claire's expression fell, and she knelt down a bit.

"Hey, don't be like that. You're still our friend and my brother. You know I'm almost always around here anyway."

"Quite right," Blinky agreed. "Don't worry, my little friend. You're welcome to make yourself at home here with me." NotEnrique scanned over them and smirked.

"Alright, alright. Guess I can't say no to those mugs. You're lost without me anyway!"

"Well, onto our main business," Blinky said. "Let me see..." He shuffled over to a stack of books and began looking over them, and after a bit of searching, he pulled one free and began flipping through it.

"Yes, yes, this is it!" He laughed. "Viking lore and the history of dragons!" He slowed down and nodded as he came to some passage or other. "Nordic runes... fascinating." He paused. "Here we are. Legend tells of a Viking village called Berk. The people of Berk once warred with dragonkind- until the great dragon master and chief was able to bring peace with the help of his dear companion, a rare species of dragon called a-" His eyes brightened and he broke into a wide grin. "That's it! A Night Fury!" He flipped the book around to show them a drawing that bore an uncanny resemblance to Toothless. "According to this, the people of Berk each had a dragon companion as a partner, but the chief and his Night Fury... they were two halves of a whole. Their bond was unlike any other."

"What was the chief's name?" Claire wondered. "Does it say?" Blinky sought the text.

"Now THAT is a name," he laughed. "Chief Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III."

"What kind of name is 'Hiccup?'" Toby asked with a snort.

"Supposedly the people of Berk believed that such a name would ward off Gnomes and Trolls," Blinky explained. "I cannot fathom why they would believe that. I certainly don't see why a name would keep us away."

"I'd rather give a kid like that a good punch," Draal muttered.

"Who knows?" Jim shrugged. "But that explains it. Toothless responded to the word 'hiccup' and I couldn't figure out why. He must be the same Night Fury, and Chief Hiccup was his rider." He frowned. "I mean... I'm assuming dragons live a long time."

"Correct," Blinky agreed. "Life spans of dragons vary from species to species, but they generally live for hundreds if not thousands of years. It is very likely that Toothless is the same Night Fury spoken of in these legends."

"Wow..." Jim, Toby, and Claire all marveled.

"But how did he end up in the Darklands?" Claire wondered.

"Plenty of species were involved in the Battle of Killahead Bridge," Blinky replied. "Perhaps Toothless was present for some reason or other. But certainly not on the Gumm-Gumms' side from the sound of it. We have found an invaluable ally in our new friend." He closed the book. "But that will come later. Right now, I'm sure our dear Trollhunter would like to rest after his harrowing adventure."

"Can't argue with that," Jim agreed.

"And I should get Enrique home," Claire added and lifted her brother up. "I bet you can't wait to see Mom and Dad again!" She gave his belly a kiss, and he giggled. Jim's eyes widened and he smacked his forehead.

"Mom!" He groaned. They all stood in awkward silence for a time.

"Oh, right..." Toby gave him an uneasy laugh. "Dr. L has been worried sick about you... Everybody has, really, since you disappeared." Jim lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I didn't even leave a note... She must be frantic." He sighed. "I guess I have to make good on my promise and tell her everything. Can't really explain being gone so long any other way."

"If it means anything, I've been keeping an eye on your home," Draal told him. "She's been safe, if not concerned for you."

"Thanks, Draal," Jim nodded. "Thank you." He paused. "How am I gonna face her...?"

"Being a Trollhunter means being strong not only physically, but in your heart as well," Blinky said with a sympathetic look in his eyes. "Do what you believe is best, Master Jim. Know that your mother is welcome to return to Trollmarket at any time, should you see a need. And no matter what, I know the love you share with her will triumph over any adversity."

"Thanks, Blinky," Jim forced a smile. "That means a lot to me." He took a breath and turned to his friends. "I guess I should get going."

"I'll go with you," Toby volunteered. "At least, I'll be nearby if you need me."

"I wish I could be too," Claire agreed. "But I gotta get Enrique home."

"Of course," Jim nodded. "Keep him safe. I know you will." With that, he bade farewell to the Trolls and, with Toby and Claire accompanying him, headed for the entrance to Trollmarket.


	3. Chapter 3: Arcadia

The sunset washed the skies of Arcadia in orange as Jim approached his front door, amulet in his pocket. The walk from the bridge to his house had proven more difficult than he had anticipated, as somehow, being back in his hometown had allowed his injuries and exhaustion to nearly overwhelm him. Being the Trollhunter and a high school student had taught him to hide how much pain he was actually in, and he didn't want to worry his friends more than he already had. He'd barely been able to keep it together long enough to keep Toby from figuring it out. The Darklands had not been kind to him, what with the bumps and bruises from exploring an unfamiliar landscape, fighting the denizens of the Realm, and barely catching a wink of sleep over the course of the last few weeks. He doubted he would be able to keep up his charade much longer, nor would he be able to hide it from his doctor of a mother. It was yet another reason he would have to fess up about his other life.

He glanced over to the side of his house where Toby was somewhat hidden, and his friend gave him a thumbs up. With that, Jim squared his shoulders- and immediately regretted the motion- and knocked on the door before pulling out his key and letting himself inside. He cleared his throat as his heart pounded in his chest. Strangely enough, he was more scared of this encounter than he had been of anything in the Darklands.

"...Mom?" he called as he shut the door behind him. "Mom, are you home?" He said a bit louder. He heard a thud and some scrambling upstairs, and his very frantic mother appeared at the top of the staircase and stared at him in shock.

"J-Jim?" She barely managed to say. "Oh, Jim!" She half ran, half jumped down the stairs and quickly pulled him into a tight hug, one he gladly returned while trying not to let out a groan of pain.

"Hi, Mom," he said as he buried his face in her trembling shoulder. She fell to her knees and he went with her, holding her tightly while she sobbed.

"Oh, Jim... my baby, my little boy..." she murmured as she stroked his hair. "You're safe, you're home... Thank goodness." She pulled back and took his face in her hands, and he smiled. She did as well for a moment, but it faded as she looked him over, no doubt noticing the slight scars he'd picked up, the pale and hollow look of his face, or the way he held himself, keeping his weight mostly on his left leg.

"Jim, what happened? Where have you been?" Her voice was gentle and full of concern. "Who did this to you?" He dropped his gaze and shook his head lightly. "Sit down. Let me look at you." He didn't bother arguing or resisting as she helped him up and over to the couch. She started with his leg, and he winced as she put pressure on his shin.

"It's hard to explain," he said as she looked up at his face.

"Doesn't seem to be broken, but you may have a bruised bone, maybe a muscle strain," she noted, half way between being a doctor and a mother. "Jim, please. Even if it's hard to talk about, I need to know where you've been and what happened to you." He took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're not gonna believe me," he said with a weak smile. "But... I promise I'll explain everything. But it's probably better if I just show you." He motioned for her to step back, and she complied with a worried look on his face. With one eye squinted in a bit of pain, he stood up and opened his hand to show her the amulet in his palm.

"What is that?" She asked as she looked over it.

"Like I said, it's better if I show you." He took the amulet close to his chest and let out a shaky breath. "For the glory of Merlin, Daylight is mine to command."

Barbara watched with wide eyes as his armor appeared and encased his body, and his sword flashed into his grip. After a moment of hesitation, he met her gaze with a sheepish smile as he placed the sword on his back. They stood there in a silence that was shocked on her part and uncomfortable on his as he let it sink in for her. When she finally reached out to touch his breastplate to make sure it was real, that's when he decided to speak.

"It's been crazy, Mom," he gave a forced chuckle. "There's this entire other world that we didn't even know about. This amulet," he tapped it, "Chose me to be the Trollhunter." She seemed shocked into silence, but she was listening. "There's a place under Arcadia called Trollmarket where all sorts of Trolls and Gnomes and other things live. Being the Trollhunter means I protect them from goblins and evil trolls and..." He frowned as she looked like she was about to fall over. "Am I going too fast?"

"I... no, yes..." She slumped down on the couch, rubbing her forehead, and he dismissed his armor and joined her. "I can't believe what you're saying, but that... that armor? It just magically showed up out of nowhere. How is that possible?"

"I had a hard time believing all of it myself," he admitted. He launched into telling her about everything he had been through, carefully glancing over things like the stalkling that had nearly killed him or Strickler being a Changling. She listened carefully, but dumbfounded disbelief was evident on her face.

"So I've been in the Darklands the past couple weeks," he finished. "But I found Enrique and brought him home." He decided not to tell her about Toothless for the moment, figuring dragons were an entire other subject that didn't need to be addressed at the time.

"Jim..." She breathed and pushed up her glasses to rub her eyes. "You... This is what you've been doing? Why you've been acting so strange and distant and keeping secrets? When you ended up in the hospital, and..." She let out a breath. "You're sixteen years old! You should be worrying about dating and exams and... Not fighting Trolls and goblins and all this other stuff!" She shook her head. "Can't someone else do it? Can you give that amulet or whatever away?" He shook his head.

"Afraid not," he said. "It chose me as the Trollhunter. I couldn't get rid of it even if I wanted to- and I tried. It kept finding its way back to me. It'll only go to someone else after I..." He dropped his gaze. "Once I die." Barbara huffed and covered her face with her hands, and she remained that way for some time.

"Jim..." She nearly squeaked. He touched his hand to her shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere, Mom. I promise. No matter what, I'm going to survive." He grunted as she suddenly grabbed him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Don't you dare go anywhere. Do you understand me, James Lake Jr.?" She pulled him back with her hands firmly on his shoulders. "If you get hurt, you call me or you have your friends or the Trolls or whoever bring you to the hospital. No questions asked. Just let me take care of you like I'm supposed to!" He smiled gently and nodded.

"Okay, Mom. I will." He hugged her again. "I promise." His smile grew. "Look, um... Give me some time to rest, but... Maybe tomorrow, I can take you to Trollmarket? I know Blinky would love to see you again. And I want to show you that... Well, what I do? It's not all bad and danger and all that. There's some really cool stuff about it too." She didn't reply for some time, and his anxiety over the situation returned. But when she finally turned to him and smiled, he felt relief flood over him.

"All right, Jim. Right now, I'm just... I'm so happy to have you home safe and sound. And if this Trollhunting business is so important to you, then I want to know more about it. If you can't quit, then I want to do everything I can to help you, and that means learning as much as I can so I'm better prepared." This time, it was his turn to hug her.

"That means so much to me, Mom," he nearly blubbered. "Thank you." She stroked his hair again and kissed the top of his head.

"Let me help you upstairs," she said, and he didn't argue as she helped support him on the short trip up to his room, nor did he resist when she insisted on doting on him, tucking him into his bed and plugging his surprisingly unscathed phone in to recharge the dead battery.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, and now that she had mentioned it, his stomach let out a loud growl not unlike a Troll. He hadn't eaten much while sneaking around the Darklands, mostly vegetation he hoped was edible and he'd managed to catch and cook a few creatures that looked and acted like fish.

"...Maybe?" He joked, and she chuckled and shook her head.

"I'll order a pizza. I won't make you suffer whatever I try to cook!" He grinned and she leaned down to kiss his forehead. "You just rest, Jim. Do you need anything else right now?"

"No, thank you," he replied, and she hesitantly got up and headed for the door. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm..." His grin became a sheepish smile. "I'm glad you know." Warm love filled her eyes, and she nodded.

"Me too, Jim. Thank you for telling me. I know that wasn't easy for you." With that, she left the room, and he sent a quick message to Toby that all was well.

Jim had barely been able to keep his eyes open long enough to eat, and as soon as he was finished, he fell asleep for quite some time. His body was stiff the next day but thankful for finally having a chance to rest comfortably. When he had asked Barbara if she was ready to go, she had continued to dote on him to assure he was able to himself. He assured her he was fine- whether she believed him was entirely unknown- and sent a message to Toby and Claire to meet them in Trollmarket. He grabbed the Horngazel he had hidden in his room and led his mother to the bridge, where she watched in awe as he drew the arch that then formed the gateway between them and their destination. Once on the other side of it, Barbara stepped toward the glowing blue stones acting as stairs and looked over the edge in awe.

"...Wow," she breathed. "This... We're under Arcadia?"

"Yup," Jim nodded. With a warm smile, he gestured her to follow him, and they made their way down the stones. Once they reached the bottom, he took her hand and led her further in, and her eyes widened as she saw the great cavern filled with shops, glowing stones, neon signs, and Trolls of all shapes and sizes going to and fro. The Heartstone in particular had enraptured her.

"Welcome to Trollmarket, Mom," Jim said. He gave her a moment to take everything in.

"I can see where it gets its name," she noticed, and he chuckled.

"Master Jim!" He looked over to find Blinky waving all four of his arms while coming up the main path, Toby and Claire behind him and NotEnrique riding on his head.

"Master Jim?" Barbara repeated with a humorous smile. "Does everyone call you that?"

"No, only Blinky," he replied. "Most of the other Trolls just call me 'Trollhunter.' A few actually call me by name." They continued on the main path, and Barbara gave Blinky a look over with some surprise.

"It's good to see you again, dear Barbara," he said with a smile as he clasped her hand in two of his. "Welcome to Trollmarket."

"Thank you," she replied. "It's nice to meet you again too, Blinky. Jim caught me up on everything. Thank you for looking out for him."

"It has been my honor and pleasure," Blinky said as he released her hand. "Now, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask me! Master Jim is the finest Trollhunter we have seen in years, and an even greater young man. I know it broke his heart to deceive you, but he did it with love." Jim looked down and Barbara wrapped her arm over his shoulders, pulling him close.

"I understand why you did it, Jim," she told him. "But I prefer things this way."

"I know," he nodded. "Now, there's someone else I really want you to meet. He helped me out when I was running around in the Darklands."

"Well, I always want to meet your friends," she said lightly, and he smiled and gestured for her to follow him. On the way, she chatted with Toby and Claire about their adventures, curious about Toby's time with the Wumpas and how Claire was doing now that Enrique was home. She couldn't be happier about her brother's return.

"I bet he's not as fun as me!" NotEnrique said, and Claire eyed him.

"Certainly not as talkative," she joked, earning several laughs. Meanwhile, Blinky had taken up telling Barbara all about the history of Trollmarket and the Heartstone along with some of the reasons why they were in need of a Trollhunter in the first place. Jim had to admit he was impressed at how she took everything in stride.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a rock bridge over a seemingly bottomless pit, and Jim took a few steps forward.

"Welcome to the Hero's Forge," he said. "This is where I've done most of my training."

"Generations of Trollhunters can say the same," Blinky added. "One day, a statue of Master Jim will stand proud in this sacred place- a day very far off, of course."

"Wow," she marveled as she glanced around the great cavern. Then, she screamed as a black blur came barreling out from behind one of the arches hiding the giant blades, and it quickly knocked Jim to the ground.

"Jim!" She screeched. "Get off my boy!" She started to lunge for the creature, but stopped as she heard her son laughing while it covered him in slobber.

"Okay, okay, okay!" He protested. "Happy to see you too, bud!" He rolled out from the assault and the dragon let out his rumbling laugh. Jim shook his head and scratched the dragon's head as he looked up at his mother. "This is my other friend, Toothless. He's a Night Fury I met in the Darklands." Toothless looked from Jim to Barbara, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

"He certainly is... Toothless," she remarked as he grinned at her. "But..."

"Come on, it's okay," he said as he took her hand and held it toward Toothless's nose. She looked at him uneasily, but with a reassuring nod from him, she gently touched the dragon, and he rumbled gently. Slowly, she relaxed and smiled, and she scratched him a bit.

"Wow, I... I'm touching a dragon!" She grinned. "Hi, Toothless!" She knelt down a bit and scratched either side of his head. "You're incredible. What beautiful eyes." He pushed past her hands and nuzzled her, and she laughed. "What a sweetheart."

"He really is amazing," Jim agreed as he pet the dragon's back. "He helped me bring Enrique home. Apparently he was once partners with a legendary Viking chief. They brought the war between humans and dragons to an end together."

"And he can fly?" she asked, noticing his wings.

"Yeah, I kinda flew with him when I was in the Darklands. I want to fix up his tail so he can fly better." Barbara massaged her forehead.

"My son is an armored warrior who rode on a flying dragon." She shook her head and laughed. "I always knew you were special, Jim, but I never could have dreamed this would happen." She opened her arms, and he stepped forward to hug her.

"Don't worry, Mom," he told her. "I'll always come back." He looked from her to his friends standing back a bit. "I promise."

"You'd better!" Toby said. "I'm nowhere near being cool without you!"

"You're plenty cool on your own, Tobias," Blinky assured him. "Now, Barbara, would you like to continue your tour of Trollmarket?" She looked at Toothless, who smiled at her.

"I think I'll get to know my son's new friend for a bit," she replied. "But I would love to explore more later."

"Certainly," Blinky agreed. Toothless rumbled and shoved his head under a yelping Jim, launching the Trollhunter onto his back. Jim laughed and scratched the dragon's head. "I do think our new companion missed you, Master Jim."

"I missed you too, buddy," Jim said. "Don't worry. I'll always come back to you too."


	4. Chapter 4: The Sky

The night Jim was waiting for had finally arrived: a full moon with not a cloud in sight. With the help of Blinky and Draal, he had forged a new tail fin for Toothless and redone the mechanism that controlled it, hopefully giving both him and the dragon a greater range of movement and motion.

Now, he and his Night Fury friend crept out from under Arcadia Bridge into the moonlight, and many of his companions waited in the dry canal; Toby, Claire, Barbara, Blinky, Draal, and even Vendel had gathered to watch the Trollhunter and his dragon take flight. The elder of Trollmarket chortled at Jim's curious glance.

"No one, Troll or man, has seen a dragon in centuries," he said. "I'd rather not miss seeing such a momentous occasion." Jim smiled and nodded, then turned to his mother as she approached him and gave him a hug.

"Please be careful," she said as she stroked his hair. "Don't try anything too dangerous."

"Don't worry, Mom," he grinned and patted her back. "I'll be fine."

"Man, I am so jealous," Toby groaned once the two had released their embrace. "You're going to ride a flying dragon! That's so cool!" He fidgeted, giddy at the prospect. "Heh, even cooler than cool. It's crispy!" Claire punched his arm with a snort, and he muttered as he rubbed the impacted spot. Jim laughed and scratched Toothless's head, and the dragon's tongue lolled out as he swung his tail back and forth in anticipation.

"Okay, okay," Jim shook his head and hoisted himself onto the dragon's back and slipped his foot onto the pedal controlling the tail fin. He gave it a couple of quick adjustments to make sure it was working correctly, and Toothless vibrated like he could barely keep himself on the ground. The Trollhunter looked over his friends, his family, and gave them a grin and a thumbs up.

"Good luck, Master Jim," Blinky bade. "And Toothless, you magnificent creature, bring him home safely." Toothless rumbled and licked Blinky's outstretched hand, covering it in slobber.

"I'll be back soon," Jim said with a nod, then set himself into position on Toothless's back and grabbed the handles of the mechanism, then adjusted the pedal. "All right, Toothless…" His heart hammered with excitement and he could feel the dragon tense as he spread his wings. "Fly!" With a great flap and a leap, Toothless propelled himself into the air with Jim once again hanging on for dear life as awed and excited voices followed him up. Now that they had a proper tail fin, the ride up was much smoother than it had been in the Darklands, though hurtling hundreds of feet up in seconds was still both terrifying and exhilarating for the Trollhunter.

Toothless leveled out quite a ways up, and Jim took a breath to test the air at this altitude. It was a bit thinner than he was used to, but he figured he'd be okay for the duration of their test drive. He looked over Toothless's wing at the glittering lights of Arcadia below, and he couldn't help but smile. Everything looked so small from that height, and yet he felt like he was overseeing the world he had sworn to protect. The lives down there were precious to him, and he would do anything to keep them safe.

Toothless rumbled excitedly as he looked back at Jim, grinning in his own way. Jim laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"Alright, buddy. Let's see how fast you can go." He adjusted Toothless's tail slightly, and he could have sworn the dragon started laughing too. Next thing he knew, Toothless gave a great thrust back of his wings, propelling them forth at speeds that nearly took Jim's breath away. He bent down as flat as he could on the dragon's back as the world below zipped by, and soon, they had left Arcadia far behind and Jim saw a different type of glittering light below. It took him a moment to realize that they were now flying over the ocean. He'd never realized it was so close to Arcadia, then noticed that distance was relative. Toothless ruled the skies and could fly faster than the wind itself, it seemed, and that dragon was without a doubt having fun with this. This was his chance to show his new partner what he was capable of, and he knew it.

He suddenly nosed down and Jim yelped as they dove toward the water. The Trollhunter's grip tightened on the handles and his body went rigid as he kept his position, a wide and nearly hysterical grin on his face. Toothless leveled out just above the water's surface and snatched something from underneath, and Jim looked over to find the dragon had caught a large fish that he promptly swallowed, then looked back at his rider with his own smile.

"Nothing better than freshly caught, huh?" Jim asked as he scratched the side of the dragon's head, and Toothless rumbled happily. "But come on, bud! Is that all you got?" Toothless eyed him and rolled in the air, his wings splashing through the waves and Jim biting back a scream as he held on. The dragon flew back up in the blink of an eye, spinning as he went, and he suddenly dropped with his tongue wiggling in the wind and saliva dripping out. Jim was laughing so hard he could barely breathe as he glanced around the stars above and the ocean below. He adjusted Toothless's tail and the dragon regained his lost altitude, then leveled out and slowed down as he looked back at the Trollhunter once more.

"This is amazing," Jim marveled as he sat up, then laid back to look at the sky. "You're pretty amazing, bud." Toothless gurgled happily in response. "I can't imagine what you've been through," he went on, now more thinking out loud. "A couple of weeks in the Darklands was awful for me. You've been there ever since

the Battle of Killahead…" He patted the dragon's back. "I missed my friends so much when I was there. I bet you really miss Hiccup." Toothless rumbled gently at the mention of the old chief's name, and he looked up at Jim with what the Trollhunter thought might have been a trace of grief in his green eyes. Jim curled forward and hugged the dragon's head. "Saying goodbye to the people you love is hard," he said gently. "But to do that and be stuck in the Darklands for so long… You really are incredible, Toothless." He leaned his head against the dragon's, and Toothless let out a sound like a purr. "Well, don't worry, bud," Jim went on. "I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. And we'll pay back the Gumm-Gumms for how they treated you." He looked up at the moon again. "And for everything they've done." He sat up and took hold of the handles again. "Alright, bud. What do you say we start heading back? Mom will kill me if I stay out too late." He chuckled at the thought. He gave the handles a bit of a tug and Toothless veered around toward land, and once again he shot forth with incredible speed that made the wind howl around them.

"Hey Toothless," Jim snickered as he held himself close to the dragon. "Think you and I could take Claire for a flight sometime soon? I bet she'd love it." He couldn't help but laugh at himself. "Toby too, I guess. And Mom. As long as she can stop screaming." It wasn't long before the lights of Arcadia came into view once again, and just a few moments longer that Jim spotted his friends in the canal near the bridge watching the sky for his return. Blinky was the first to wave all four arms at him and Toothless, and Toothless dove down and flared his wings at the last moment for an effortless landing.

"How was it? How was it?!" Claire demanded as he slid off Toothless's back and hugged her, then his mother.

"Amazing," he replied. "I'll have to take you up there sometime." Claire smiled warmly at the idea.

As they chattered and asked about his first flight this side of Killahead, Toothless stuck close to Jim with his own smile, tongue hanging out. Jim scratched the side of his head, then leaned in to press his forehead to the dragon's nose. Toothless closed his eyes, his breath gentle. This Night Fury was special, Jim realized, even among dragons.

"We're home, bud," he said gently. "Thank you."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Short ending chapter, I know, but I wanted to give Jim and Toothless a chance to really form their bond as friends and as rider and dragon, plus letting Toothless truly fly again. Sorry it took so long to post! I've been wildly busy with a bunch of other projects, including a Trollhunters story titled _The Brink of Change._ The only problem is that it would technically be an alternate scenario since I started drafting and writing it before Season 2 was released. I'm tweaking a few things to follow canon a bit more, and I'm pretty proud of how it's coming out so far. Should you read it once I post it, I hope you enjoy! And if not, thank you for reading this short story. I had a lot of fun with it, and I hope you did too.  
~Brawlingwolf


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